Lubricant dispenser

Abstract

A lubricant dispenser includes a lubricant container that has an outlet opening for lubricant, a piston disposed in the lubricant container, and a cap connected with the lubricant container, having a device for generating a gas that impacts the piston. The device for gas generation has a gas cell with an electrolyte fluid and electrodes for electrochemical gas generation, a power source, as well as an electrical connection between the power source and the electrodes with a switch. The cap is a plastic injection-molded part produced in one piece, formed from several parts, using the multi-component injection-molding method, which part is made of an outer ring made of insulation material and an insert that forms the gas cell, having two electrically conductive wall regions as electrodes, as well as having an intermediate piece that separates the conductive regions. The insert contains a sponge saturated with electrolyte fluid, and is closed off with a plastic lid.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] Applicant claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of German Application No. 10 2005 004 456.5 filed on Feb. 1, 2005. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a lubricant dispenser. The dispenser has a lubricant container that has an outlet opening for lubricant, a piston disposed in the lubricant container, and a cap connected with the lubricant container. The cap has a device for generating a gas that impacts the piston. The device for gas generation has a gas cell with an electrolyte fluid and electrodes for electrochemical gas generation, a power source, as well as an electrical connection between the power source and the electrodes with a switch. When current flows, a gas is generated electrochemically, by means of which a pressure builds up on the back side of the piston. The pressure build-up results in an advance of the piston, by means of which lubricant is displaced out o...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a lubricant dispenser that is composed of few parts and thereby is easy to assemble. In this connection, the gas cell should be configured so that no electrolyte fluid exits from the gas cell during the production and assembly of the gas cell or during its subsequent use.

[0012] The switch of the lubricant dispenser is preferably configured as a rotary switch and disposed in the face-side opening of the outer ring. Electrical connections for the power source and the gas cell are disposed at the rotary switch. In particular, a conductor track can be disposed on the inside of the rotary switch. The conductor track forms an electrical connection between the power source and the gas cell, with a resistance that is dependent on the angle of rotation of the switch. The contact between the rotary switch and the power source can be produced in simple manner, by means of an elastically resilient metallic insert part.

Problems solved by technology

The electrolyte fluid, e.g. an aqueous sodium azide solution, is a substance that is harmful to the environment and hazardous to health.

As a result, complicated protective measures are required during production of the gas cell and the saturation of the storage medium.

Last but not least, the production of the gas cell is complicated also in that the electrodes, which are formed as metal parts, must be assembled in the cap with metallic contact elements and connected via rivets.

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